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You can switch your current landline number into a Google Voice account to retain your phone number on a free Obi phone line.To port your landline to GV:

Get ahold of an old Page Plus or Verizon cell phone that isn't being used. Port your existing landline to Page Plus for free through their website.

Fill out the port form and put in your landline number and the old PP cell phone's ESN or MEID number (from under the battery) and wait a couple of days for it to go through. You will know that the port is complete, when dialing your landline rings on the cell phone.

Once the account is active, buy $10 worth of minutes from PagePlus in order to receive the verification call from GV.

Now you can initiate the GV port. It's a good idea to open a new Gmail account. You can then setup all emails that come to that account (all the voicemails notifications) to be forwarded to your main Gmail account. Login to GV from the new account and port in your number. It will cost $20, and you will get an email when the port to GV is complete.

Using the above method will only have incoming Caller ID numbers, not names. If you want names as well, follow these steps:

Use the tool on the left to pick an area code, then order the number. It doesnít have to be something memorable, because no one will ever have to dial it.

When it asks if youíre in US/Canada, either select Yes to use their E911 service, or No if you want to use something else. Callcentric setup is free, plus $1.50/mo if you want E911 services. See below for more details.

After you receive a confirmation email from Callcentric with your new account info, go to obitalk.com, and log into your Obi. Click SP2, scroll down to OBiTALK Compatible Service Providers, then click Next. Follow the prompts to link your Callcentric account. In the box that says Callcentric Number, enter the 1777 number you got in the email. Uncheck Primary Line for Outgoing Calls and 911.

Open Google Voice, go into Settings, and add a forwarding phone. Enter the real phone number you got in the email from Callcentric. Google will call it to confirm; it should ring on your Obi. Answer it and enter the code shown by GV.

Uncheck forward to Google Chat.

Log into your Callcentric account. Click Preferences. Under General, enable Caller ID with name (Inbound calls). (You can also change the maximum call duration, and unlist yourself from the directory).

Status:Your Old Service Provider has agreed to release your telephone number to Verizon Wireless. You should receive a free text message within the next 10 business days welcoming you to Verizon Wireless

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When somebody thanks you for a favor you've done, respond "my pleasure", not "no problem".

If GV sees it as a mobile number, they'll initiate the call, even if it rings on the landline.

But if VR didn't finish porting the number to VW, and I port it to GV, I'm scared the number will get lost. Because VW will send the half of the port that they received, and stop requesting the other half from VR, and GV will not be requesting anything from VR, rather from VW.

I can't risk losing my home phone number.

I wonder how many ppl don't have Voip, because they don't want to even take a small tiny risk of losing their home number.

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When somebody thanks you for a favor you've done, respond "my pleasure", not "no problem".